Educational

The Benefits of VPN Explained

Last updated on July 8, 2019

The Benefits of VPN Explained

No matter what device you log on from, whether it’s Windows, Android or iOS, each internet session poses risk. Today, hacking is rampant. Social engineers are constantly devising new ways to obtain your sensitive data.

A good anti-virus may spot ransomware and infected files, but your protection is still incomplete. Despite the availability of incognito mode in Chrome, for instance, the feature will do nothing to protect your data. Here is why VPN is a reasonable solution to add the missing layer on protection.

The principle

Once you access the web, your device is assigned a unique IP address. It may be detected and tracked by hackers, who can see the contents of all your internet sessions. A virtual private network will encrypt your connection so that third-parties are unable to see it. For example, consider Kodi VPN and its many useful features. VPNs may be free or paid, and they may be installed on computers and mobile devices.

Choose an IP address from a different city, country, or even continent – it is now impossible for an outsider to identify your actual location. Your data is protected, and you may now access websites that restrict access based on geography.

For instance, a VPN is the only way to watch streaming video from a geoblocked location. You may recall an instance when you couldn’t access your favorite TV series while on vacation. For example, it is impossible to access HBO without a U.S.-based IP. However, there are many more additional uses.

The danger of public wi-fi

Accessing free wi-fi networks is tempting. However, what you think is a legit airport hotspot may actually be an impostor. Through such networks, hackers receive a gateway to sensitive data stored on your device. Luckily, a VPN will prevent such malicious third parties from causing any damage.

In general, accessing any free wifi networks renders your device vulnerable to attacks due to a lack of encryption. This explains why a VPN is effective in most cases, in addition to other necessary precautions. It will scramble your personal data, which makes in unreadable without the correct decryption key. Here are four ways hackers may try to harm you via a public Wi-Fi point:

Man-in-the-Middle

During attacks of this kind, a third party interferes in communication between two participants. Hence, the data shared between them is accessed by the cybercriminal. As public Wi-Fi connections often use no encryption, it is relatively easy for malicious users to exploit them this way.Fortunately, a VPN will provide the encryption you need to stay safe.

An affected router could collect large amounts of personal data. For instance, getting into your electronic mailbox will give access to your passwords, logins, private messages, etc. Here, the worst consequences ensue if you use online banking or have ever shared any payment details via email.

Packet sniffing

A VPN is particularly effective against this type of attacks. The method allows cybercriminals to obtain transmitted data and analyze it at their own speed. they will do so using the software, such as the free Wireshark. A program is a useful tool for analyzing web traffic.

Ironically, Wireshark is normally used to spot vulnerabilities and cybercriminals. However, it gives hackers abundant data to sift through, which includes passwords. Get a strong VPN encryption and only enter details on HTTPS websites.

Sidejacking

This method also relies on packet sniffing, but obtained data is used on-location. Although hackers will not obtain your passwords directly, they may do so using malware. As a result, they get plenty of sensitive data.

When you enter website log in details, they must be transmitted to be verified based on the information kept by the site. The site will then respond by sending cookies to your device. This is when a lack of encryption may enable hackers to access your private accounts by hijacking the session. As hackers will circumvent lower degrees of encryption, a reliable VPN should keep you safe.

Fake Wi-Fi Connections

Similar to MITM, this type of attacks is called Rogue Access Point. Here, your data is intercepted in transit. Any security blocks which a public Wi-Fi could have been successfully eliminated. The name “Evil Twin” points to similarities in network names.

In an episode of the Doctor WhoTV series, characters dealt with the consequences of connecting to a wrong router that had been manipulated. In the story, this link them to an alien intelligence, which is naturally fictional. In real life, however, this will pass your sensitive private information to hackers, making you a victim of cybercrime.

The way it works is that criminals create a fake access point (AP) masquerading as a genuine hotspot. This can be done using any internet-connected device, including a smartphone. As a result, any data transmitted through such network ends up in the hands of its creators. To spot a fake network, pay special attention to hotspots with identical or similar names.

Spotting a fake Wi-Fi network

A fake Wi-Fi network will look like a duplicate of a genuine one, and it could also use the same security features. To attract victims, its signal could overpower that of the legit hotspot. This means that the fake point is either close to you physically, or hackers have performed a Denial of Service attack. Here are a few red flags:

If you enter the wrong password, but the connection is still successful, the network is fake.
A very slow network connection could mean that a hacker is using mobile internet for the hotspot.
Look out for fake domains. If the address bar on your banking website suddenly shows HTTP instead of HTTPS, you are in trouble. Using a method known as SSL Stripping, a criminal will see all passwords or details you enter. Unfortunately, as you are entering information on the hackers’ own website, there is nothing to protect you.

Home Wi-Fi routers

A 2015 trial connected with wi-fi hacking shocked Japan, as it was the nation’s first case of this nature. The dangers revealed caused security experts to urge people to protect home Wi-Fi routers. Such networks may be hacked by criminals who eavesdrop on the wireless signal, even from an adjacent apartment.

The suspect was accused of stealing ¥16 million. He was said to have obtained online banking passwords and IDs. The damage was exacerbated by computer viruses sent to the victims’ computers for the sake of gaining unauthorized remote access.

What makes matters with cybercrime even worse is that hackers can mask their identities, causing innocent people to become suspects. As perpetrators are often identified by IP addresses, there are many negative consequences.

What to do

Detecting if a network has been hijacked is no easy task. It is essential to protect your home wireless hotspot with a password, but it is hardly sufficient. Ensure it uses a newer form of encryption – the fresher, the harder it is to crack. if your router’s default encryption setting is Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), you need to change it right away. Wi-Fi Protected Access II, or WPA2, is a far better choice.

However, your security measures will be incomplete without a VPN. In the case in question, the subject used software that came as a free gift to break the encryption. A connection encrypted with a VPN may not be hacked into.

Online payments

We often hear about identity theft and credit card fraud online. When you share your payment details with a website, you should be sure it will not be leaked anywhere. Nobody wants to lose their hard-earned cash, so it is best to take all possible precautions. Remember to turn on your VPN when making any money transfers on the go as well.

Luckily, popular e-commerce providers like eBay, Amazon, or PayPal, add their own encryption techniques. One of the signs of a credible site is the secured “https” instead of the usual “http” in its URL. Here, that extra “S” stands for “Secure”, ensuring a level of encryption. You could also install special plugins, such as HTTPS Everywhere, which force browsers into defaulting to encrypted transmissions whenever possible. SSL/TSL certificatesare a way to check any website’s credentials. Any warnings concerning authenticity must be taken seriously.

Video platforms

Even such players as Kodi are best used with a VPN. At first glance, it is simply a media player – i.e., an empty shell. However, there are hidden dangers. First, as an open-source platform, it is linked to general security considerations. If you stream clearly pirated or suspicious content, you may be in trouble. Secondly, any third-party add-ons may be malicious.

Today, Netflix is the king of streaming video. Here is what a good VPN can offer with regard to its library:

unblocking the service;
allowing users to watch content for lengthy periods with no errors or buffering;
enabling speed sufficient for streaming in HD format;
having several apps suitable for different devices.

Online TV

Here, the benefits are the same. ABC is watched in Australia, BBC in the UK, and CBS in the USA. All these broadcasters will only let you stream the content if your IP is based in their countries. A VPN will unblock all their multimedia treasures.

Online games

A VPN may speed up your connection for a more pleasant gaming experience. Sometimes, your internet service provider will slow down online game traffic. In addition, such popular games as World Of Warcraft use the BitTorrent protocol for issuing of updates and patches. It consumes a lot of bandwidth and is often throttled by ISPs. However, using a VPN here may be a double-edged sword. Sometimes, it will render you more latent, which could reduce the speed.

Torrents

No matter what you download, be it a pirated movie or a legal piece of software, you put yourself at risk. As a result. you may find yourself added to a super surveillance list for NSA, GCHQ, BPI, etc. For example, the Motion Picture Association of America wants to monitor all downloads to guarantee that none of their content is shared illegally. For this purpose, they may pose as another regular P2P user sharing files. Alternatively, they could snoop around your Internet Service Provider in order to collect evidence for a case against you.

When it comes to torrents, all security measures except for VPNs only provide a false sense of protection. Such programs as PeerBlock will block IPs from connecting to your network, and critics argue that they block peers, thus harming P2P file sharing in general.

Market research

As a business owner, you may want to expand your operations overseas and conduct a bit of online research. But what should you enter in the search engine bar? The results you will see will be tailored to your physical location. This presents one of the uses of VPN. With a US-based VPN, for example, you will see exactly the same results as an American will get once they google your type of services. From there, you will identify the most visible competitors.

Another advantage of VPNs is that they mask your true IP when you browse competitors’ websites. Otherwise, a site owner may see where the traffic comes from and identify you by IP. If they find your website, they could explore and copy your techniques and valuable ideas.

Dating sites

You may think VPNs would be entirely irrelevant in a quest for romance. It may seem suspicious that a love seeker will hide their actual location. However, dating platforms have a number of privacy-related issues. Scammers are apt at exploiting dating sites to obtain personal data. You could be exposed to malware-laced pop-ups or impostors.

Context ads

As a VPN encrypts every session, you will no longer see those nasty dating apps pop up on your social media pages. Such sponsored context ads are displayed based on your browsing history, which is determined based on the IP. If such advertisements appear on your screen at work, co-workers could spot them as well.

Hackers

Dating sites are often hacked. In 2015, countless users of Ashley Madison, mostly married men looking for affairs, were blackmailed by hackers. Even if you invent an alias and use an email address registered for dating only, a hacker may still identify you by IP.

Accessing blocked websites

In some countries, dating sites are blocked by governments. For example, it is well-known that residents of China and India are preventing from accessing Western websites. Such measures are taken in order to keep their internet activities under strict control and pursue protect policies.

However, in the West, dating sites may also be blocked – you may not access them from your workplace due to employer’s restrictions. In any case, a VPN is simply indispensable here. It will conceal your actual IP address, thereby making it look like you are in a different country. As the session will be encrypted, not only will you gain access, it is also much safer.

An effective VPN will not only encrypt your session. It will thereby open access instantly.

Adult sites

You may not admit it publicly, but there is hardly a user who has never been to a porn site. Whether it’s traditional porn, VR or webcamming, such platforms are notorious sources of viruses, malware, and other dangers. Here, the use of VPN is two-fold. On the one hand, it is a necessary addition to your anti-virus and anti-malware software. On the other hand, it unblocks smut collections for users in geo-restricted zones, such as India.

Choosing a VPN

Make sure your VPN encrypts data securely. Look for AES or Advanced Encryption Standard. The first publicly accessible and open cipher, it is approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a standard of protection at a “Top Secret” level. The most desirable encryption is marked AES-256.

Today, the choice of VPNs is abundant, and different price tags provide different features. Aim for those programs that do not consume too much bandwidth, as connection speeds may deteriorate while the VPN is on. The best programs follow rigid no-logs policies, so you can be sure your online history does not get stored.

You may find lists of VPNs most suitable for your operating system, and tailored to certain kinds of websites. Such information is even be found on Reddit. Some of the services favored by users include NordVPN, TorGuard, Mullvad, and Proton VPN. The latter is free and therefore fairly limited in its features.

Free or paid?

In general, free VPNs are best avoided. They may profit from leaking your data to third parties. Paid services rarely charge a lot, and offer good value for money. Their product is usually far superior. Like anywhere else, what is free is rarely good.

Be sure to check user feedback and expert reviews to choose the most suitable service. As hackers are getting increasingly skillful, we should protect our computers and mobile devices. It is better to be safe than sorry!

What is Overclocking And When is it Bad?

Last updated on June 13, 2019

What is overclocking? Can it damage my components? Do I need to pay anything extra for it? All good questions that are commonly asked by those who are new to overclocking. Let’s find the answers, shall we?

What is Overclocking?

The cores of your processor and graphics card work in frequencies that we measure in Hz. 1GHz means that your CPU can make a billion calculations per second, 2GHz means that it can do two, you get the point.

So, the higher the frequency that your CPU or GPU offers, the more performance that you’ll get out of them. However, do keep in mind that this only applies when we’re talking about the same models.

You can’t compare two different CPUs and judge how fast they are solely by their frequency because they are built differently. Core VS Core, a Pentium 4 CPU at 3.5GHz will always be several times slower than a Core i5 at the same frequency or even at a much lower one.

But, if you get two identical i5 processors with one of them offering a higher clock/frequency, then that one is definitely going to be faster than its sibling which offers a lower frequency. Easy enough to understand, right?

That being said, processors ship with a specific range of core speeds that they can achieve out of the box without you touching anything. Some of them can be modified to reach higher speeds – and that’s when overclocking comes in.

Overclocking is when the user raises the CPU or GPU core frequencies in order to gain higher levels of performance. But, how can you do that? When? And is it safe?

Can I Overclock? How?

When it comes to processors, Intel and AMD are the only ones who can create them for traditional desktops or laptops. And when it comes to overclocking, the situation is a bit different for each team.

Those of you who own an AMD Ryzen processor can all overclock your processor – no strings attached. Intel users, however, need to own a K series processor and a Z motherboard. If you don’t, your CPU’s core clock will be locked and there’s nothing that you can do about it.

As for how to overclock your CPU, in most cases, you need to reboot into your BIOS settings, start raising the CPU frequency and/or voltage little by little, reboot, stress test, and stop when you see that the PC is crashing. NEVER raise the frequency by more than 50 or 100Hz at once and never raise the voltage abruptly. More on that later.

Now, for graphics cards, almost all GPUs can be overclocked by using something like MSI Afterburner. Thankfully, you don’t need to keep on rebooting for this one to work.

All you have to do is launch the app, start raising the core frequency little by little, benchmark, and keep on going with this process until your games/benchmarks start crashing. A GPU crash can differ from model to model. Some of them just throw you out of the game while others completely crash the whole system.

Can Overclocking Harm My Computer?

Every time that I’m asked, “What is overclocking?”, the next question that almost always comes after is if this is dangerous. The answer? Kinda. Mostly if you don’t know what you’re doing.

When it comes to overclocking, there are primarily three things that can kill your CPU, GPU, or even motherboard:

Heat
Voltage
Bad motherboard VRM

Heat

First of all, let’s start with heat. Making your components work faster, regardless of if you’re pushing more voltage into them or not, will make them heat up more than before.

So, while overclocking, always start with frequency only and move with small steps every single time while monitoring temperatures to ensure that you’re fine. Most chips can go up to 95C before shutting down. But, the cooler that you can go, the better. I personally prefer staying under 70C at all time. Though technically speaking, anything up to 80-83C is generally considered “perfectly safe”.

Voltage and VRMs

After that comes voltage. And voltage can definitely shorten the lifespan of your components – depending on how much you’re pushing into them.

This is a highly controversial topic. But, most people agree that:

1.3V core voltage is the safe level for 24/7 operation
1.4V up to 1.45V is still relatively safe but may slightly degrade the lifespan of the CPU
And anything above that is getting dangerous and will definitely have an impact on the lifespan of the processor

Note: Do keep in mind that the safe levels differ from CPU to CPU.

Then you also have VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules). Those are the tiny things that you see around the CPU on your motherboard and they are responsible for providing stable voltage to the processor. If those are crappy, then they may not be able to handle overclocking which can lead to crashes, slowdowns, or even motherboard/CPU failures.

That being said, AMD users may be the only ones who have to worry about it since their chips are overlocked regardless of which motherboard you use. While Intel, on the other hand, only allows you to overclock on specific motherboards that meet the requirements for overclocking.

Summary: If you know what you’re doing, then overclocking is relatively safe. But, it still poses a few dangers. While we’re on this subject, let us not forget to mention that overclocking is NOT recommended for professionals. You don’t want your PC crashing while you’re working on something and losing all progress.

Does Overclocking Cost Me Anything?

Technically speaking, overclocking is free performance. Practically speaking, it costs you so much that you may as well spend that money on a better CPU in the first place.

See, as mentioned above, one of the things that can damage your components while overclocking is heat. And in order to keep everything cool, you need to spend money on cooling solutions like:

A 3rd party CPU cooler
Good case fans
Maybe even a new case that’s focused on cooling

Not to mention that overclocking is a time-consuming process and you know what they say: “Time is money”. For all the time and money that you spend on overclocking, you may as well save your money, spend your time working, and get a Ryzen 7 instead of a Ryzen 5 which will deliver much better performance without you having to worry about damaging the chip.

So, if things are like that, then why is it that so many people love overclocking? Well, first of all, it’s situational. Maybe you already have your CPU for a few years now and you’re trying to squeeze every bit of performance out of it without buying a new chip or something.

Other than that, it’s also a hobby. Some people just love doing this stuff not so much for the performance that they are getting, but because it’s fun.

Questions that were answered today:

What is overclocking?
Is it harmful?
Does it cost me anything?

If you’ve got any more questions, then let us and everyone else know about them in the comments section down below! The WTLS team will try to get back to you as soon as possible along with the rest of our community.

How to Access iCloud Photo Library – Guide to Manage iCloud Photos

Last updated on June 11, 2019

How to Access iCloud Photo Library – Guide to Manage iCloud Photos

Looking for a method on how to access iCloud Photo Library to view all of your backup up photos and videos? Here’s a complete guide on how you can get hold of all the media saved to your Apple iCloud account in more ways than one.

When the very first iPhone was released back in the year 2007, the smartphone came with 4GB storage space on the base version. For a phone that had just a 2MP camera on the rear and couldn’t even record videos natively, 4 gigabytes of storage space were ample enough. Generation after generation, the iPhone has evolved, bringing more storage space onboard, charging users a premium for the iDevices for the 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB variants. However, Apple soon realized that users need a cloud storage solution that helps them add virtual space to their iPhones and iPad, and used it as an opportunity for monetization.

Thus, with the release of iPhone 4S, Apple rolled out the iCloud online cloud storage service for Mac and iOS devices in the year 2011. Offering 5GB of online data storage for free to all users, Apple charges a subscription fee to users who can then choose to upgrade the available online storage to 50GB, 200GB, and even a whopping 1TB. With over 800 million users, there are plenty of users who might find the need to learn how to access iCloud Photo Library on their Windows, Mac, and iOS devices. Although being rebranded as “iCloud Photos” after the release of iOS 12, the features of the cloud storage service from Apple have remained the same.

How to Enable iCloud Sync

Before you can have all of your photos and videos synced to the iCloud Photo Library, you need to make sure that the feature is enabled in the first place. Once you have the iCloud backup enabled, the media on your iDevices will begin to sync, and you can then go ahead and learn how to access iCloud Photo Library from multiple platforms.

Enable iCloud Photo Library on iOS

On your iPhone or iPad home screen, head over to the Settings
Scroll down to find the Photos & Camera tab and tap on it.
Press the toggle switch you see next to the option iCloud Photo Library to enable it.
You can enable to options My Photo Stream to automatically upload photos and videos to your iCloud account.
Additionally, the iCloud Photo Sharing option, once enabled, will allow you to share your albums with other users.

Enable iCloud Photo Library on Mac

From the main screen of your Mac OS X computer, open the System Preferences menu and head over to the iCloud
You will be asked to sign in you using your Apple ID and password.
Using the pop-up window, select the iCloud Drive and Photos using the checkbox right next to the two options.
Press the Options button on the Photos tab and make sure that all three of the checkboxes are enabled (iCloud Photo Sharing, My Photo Stream, and iCloud Photo Sharing) before you press Done to confirm.

How to Access iCloud Photo Library

You may not be a big fan of the closed environment that Apple has created amongst the iOS and Mac OS X devices, but it surely is efficient. By bridging the gap between the storage spaces of your Apple devices using iCloud, you can ensure that every single image and video that you’ve ever shot or has been shared with you, is safe in the cloud.

Even if you don’t own a suite of Apple devices to seamlessly share media content amongst each other, the ability to have all of your cherished moments safe and sound is reassuring to say the least. Whether you end up losing your iPhone or iPad or breaking it beyond repair, you can always rely on iCloud Photo Library to safeguard the media automatically.

How to Access iCloud Photo Library on Windows

For those who tend to use iTunes to manage the content on their iPhone and iPad with a Windows PC, chances are that you have iCloud installed already. However, if you did not choose to install iCloud along with the iTunes bundle, you can start off by doing so now.

Download and install the iCloud app for Windows using the link given here – Download iCloud for Windows.
Once you open the iCloud app on your Windows computer, you will be asked to sign in using your Apple ID and password.
Next to the Photos icon, press the Options button and select iCloud Photo Library from the list of options.
You can then choose to the Download, Upload, and iCloud Photo Sharing folders on your Windows computer accordingly.
Using the File Explorer on your Windows PC, you will be able to access the iCloud Photos folder under the Favorites
Once synced, you will be able to see the photos and videos in your iCloud account through the three folders – Downloads, Uploads, and Shared

How to Access iCloud Photo Library using Web Browser

Apple has designed iCloud to be the true web-based data storage platform, which is why is available as a web-based service as well. Using a supported desktop browser such as Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or any other, you can sign into your iCloud account online and gain access to the entire Photos Library on the go.

Open a new browser tab and head over to the iCloud website using the following link – www.icloud.com.
You will then be asked to enter your Apple ID and password to access your iCloud Photos and other data through the web client.
The interface of iCloud is quite similar to that of iPhone or iPad, with app-shaped icons for you to open and view the contents.
Apart from the media in the Photos and iCloud Drive app, you will also be able to access the Mail, Contacts, Notes, Reminders, and a lot more through the web version of iCloud.
Finally, you can open the Photos app icon and understand how to access the iCloud Photo Library online from anywhere, at any time.

Final Words

Once you have enabled iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac OS X devices, you will be able to view, manage, and easily delete your images and videos from a centralized platform. Based on the storage plan that you have selected, you will be able to upload, download, and share media files directly through the iCloud app for Windows, or simply by using the web-based platform.

Were you able to figure out how to access iCloud Photo Library using a Windows computer or by just going online over to www.icloud.com to access all of your iPhone and iPad data remotely? Be sure to ask away any questions that you may have in the comments section listed down below, and we’ll get back to you at the earliest.